


all my fragile strength is gone.

by redhoods



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-16
Updated: 2012-08-16
Packaged: 2017-11-12 07:09:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/488093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoods/pseuds/redhoods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s then he notices the look that Stiles has adopted, almost forlorn, like longing. It makes Danny’s heart tug in a way that he’s not sure what to do with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	all my fragile strength is gone.

**Author's Note:**

> for [this](http://christhemsworth.livejournal.com/614.html?thread=53350#t53350) prompt at the teen wolf ficathon thing.

When Danny steps into the cafeteria, it’s almost like stepping into an episode of the Twilight Zone where everyone is werewolves and ex murdering lizards and he doesn’t really want to think about it all, because it makes a headache form above his right eye. Still, now he has to think about where he wants to sit, because Jackson and Lydia have vacated their usual table in favor of sitting with Scott, Isaac, and Stiles, which Danny’s glad he’s not the only one concerned about this change of events, because other people are looking and pointing and whispering. 

Jackson’s jaw is twitching on the left side which means he’s not unaware of the talking and Lydia is chattering with Stiles about something that has completely drawn her attention from Jackson aside from the fingers she has curled around his wrist. Scott and Isaac are talking, heads bent close together in a way that makes it look like they’re about to kiss, but their attention is occasionally diverted for Isaac to butt in on Stiles and Lydia’s conversation, adding his own bits.

Shaking his head when he realizes he’s staring, Danny continues into the cafeteria, heading to the table like it’s his usual place to sit, kicking Jackson’s legs from where they’re stretched under the open seat and settles down into it. He half expects the other occupants at the table to recognize his presence, but they carry on with their conversations and Danny finds himself at the brunt of Jackson’s gaze.

He merely quirks an eyebrow and shoves the apple from his bag over to Jackson. Stiles and Lydia’s conversation seems to dissipate not long after that and Lydia’s attention is focused back on Jackson, leaving him and Stiles having to watch the couple without much options of other entertainment.

It’s then he notices the look that Stiles has adopted, almost forlorn, like longing. It makes Danny’s heart tug in a way that he’s not sure what to do with.

The moment shatters when the bell rings and they’re all left grabbing their things to try and get to class before the late bell.

\--

Danny’s able to push the feeling to the back of his mind until they go to lacrosse practice. Coach goes on about regional championship and state championship and other things that the team just tunes out completely, until he starts welcoming Jackson back after what happened in the last game and Danny’s left with that ache in his chest that he had felt after the game when Jackson had been _dead_.

His gaze is also drawn to Stiles, for some reason he’s still not trying to think about, and he remembers the Sheriff shouting, trying to find out where Stiles had disappeared to. And then there had been Stiles coming to school with the graze on his cheek and busted lip. The ache in his chest gets worse the more he thinks about it, so he doesn’t, just decides to focus on strapping his gear on and high tailing it out of the locker room and to the goal, where he thankfully doesn’t have to deal with anyone.

The team is back in order, no one having been seriously hurt by whatever plan Isaac had been employing at the championship game, though everyone still seems to be giving him obvious distance except Jackson and Scott. Stiles is on the bench once more, fidgeting, though from what he can tell, Coach has moved him up in the roster to be the first to go in when someone gets taken out.

It’s not until practice is underway and Danny’s under a barrage of lacrosse balls from eager teammates, still hyped from their won championship, that he notices Lydia’s presence in the stands. She only cheers occasionally, otherwise focused on the laptop screen that she seems to be copying stuff from. Stiles keeps glancing up at her occasionally and the ache in his chest renews itself.

\--

After practice, everyone barges into the locker room, ready to get showers and get out of there. Danny takes his time, not in a rush to go home to an empty place while his parents visit his aunt in San Diego while she’s stateside from Hawaii. He’s prepared to leave, keys in hand, when he sees Stiles sitting on the bench in front of his locker, still in his gear, staring at the lacrosse stick in his hand.

Sighing and wondering what’s come over himself, Danny finds himself settling down next to Stiles, bumping their shoulders together, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so quiet.”

When Stiles glances at him, the surprise is evident along with something else that Danny is carefully not thinking about before he looks away again and shrugs, “Haven’t had much to say anymore,” he replies finally.

And Danny is startled by that, unable to imagine anything that would manage to shake Stiles of his rambling habit and dammit if Danny isn’t screwed because he’s sort of missing Stiles’s constant commentary. He flounders a little, almost used to trying to come up with retorts to the things Stiles says, but now, he’s not sure what to do, “That’s a shame, I’m starting to miss your rambling,” he blurts and wants to kick himself for it.

But then Stiles’s face picks back up some of the light, almost as if someone had turned it off in him - as if that isn’t some sort of horrible analogy - and Danny feels triumphant when Stiles looks at him with something like awe, “Yeah?”

Danny nods, pursing his lips as he considers his words, “You seem to be the only that actually uses his brain for more than taking up space,” he decides eventually, even though that’s not really what he wanted to convey.

Stiles actually grins then, finally, goofy and boyish and yeah, Danny is so screwed. He almost wishes for the days before he found out about werewolves, when Stiles was just someone that he and Jackson could laugh at. Those days aren’t coming back anytime soon though, not when Jackson still gets this haunted look in his eyes when he thinks no one is looking or when Isaac still occasionally jumps when someone goes to touch him and especially not with how lost and lonely Stiles looks.

It’s quiet for a few minutes and Danny ends up staring down at the floor when Stiles makes a surprised noise next to him and turns, poking his finger into Danny’s chest, “You totally think I’m attractive!”

Blinking, Danny looks from Stiles’s finger to his face, unsure of how that connection was made but when Stiles’s expression falters and his hands drops, Danny huffs and reaches out, hooking his hand around the back of Stiles’s neck, drawing him into a chaste kiss, “Yes, you idiot, I think you’re attractive,” he mutters against Stiles’s mouth before pulling back, feeling unsure and confident at the same time.

Stiles is unerringly quiet next to him, staring down at his hand in his lap and Danny huffs softly once more, reaching out and tangling his fingers with Stiles’s, until he draws Stiles’s gaze. “Look, I know you’ve got a lot going on and a lot to think about, yeah?” He starts softly, rubbing his thumb across the back of Stiles’s hand softly, “But I’ll be here when you’re ready or if you’re not and you just want to talk, okay?”

It takes a few seconds and then Stiles nods, a little smile tugging at his lips. Danny nods as well, brushing another kiss over Stiles’s lips, unable to stop himself before he pulls away and stands, rubbing his hand over the back of Stiles’s head when he passes him, “See you later, Stiles.”

“Hey Danny!”

Danny pauses at the door, turning back to look at Stiles, who is all but gnawing on his lower lip, “Yeah?”

“I - uh - just thanks?”

Smiling, Danny nods and gives a jaunty half hearted salute and replies, “Anytime,” before finally leaving the locker room, feeling the ache in his chest eases.


End file.
